Abercrombie’s New Face Is a Badass South Asian YouTube Activist

Abercrombie & Fitch has given the shirtless male models and the corporate jet the heave-ho, and its latest campaign is another sign of the mall brand's ongoing evolution. British model Neelam Gill, who has starred in Burberry and Hunter campaigns and walked in Yeezy Season 1, is fronting the new ads. (Gill was the first person of South Asian descent to star in a Burberry campaign.)

While the clothes — including a logo sweatshirt and lots of denim — tread familiar ground for the label, the ads' stripped-down aesthetic is a notable departure from the Bruce Weber images it's been associated with for so long. These photos were shot by Dan Martensen, who has lensed campaigns for Prabal Gurung and Mugler, and styled by Clare Richardson.

As for Abercrombie's choice of model, Gill is an activist who talks openly about issues like bullying on her YouTube channel. And in terms of her growing X factor, it probably doesn't hurt that she is also linked to none other than Zayn Malik.